Water supplies typically contain chemicals, such as calcium carbonate, which are leached from the ground or from pipes carrying the water and are carried along with the water. Over time, these chemicals are deposited on the interior of the pipes and lead to buildup in the form of scale (e.g., calcite) within the pipes. Eventually, this buildup results in a constriction of the pipes and a reduction of the flow of water through the pipes. Similar materials also deposit on cooling towers, heat exchangers, and boilers, reducing their efficiency, which in turn results in increased operation costs. Material such as iron dissolved in water can be deposited on fountains or other surfaces that are constantly in contact with water, resulting in unsightly stains. In addition, water pools, lakes, fountains, and spas often contain microorganisms which result in poor quality and unattractive water.
Currently, removal of scale and microorganisms is achieved by treatment with chemicals, such as hexavalent chromium, hydrochloric acid, and sodium hypochlorite. Treatment with such chemicals results in a considerable cost for the continued use of the chemicals themselves and the constant monitoring which is required to ensure that the chemicals are at the correct "working" concentrations. The use of such chemicals may lead to increased rates of corrosion of the pipes and of other structures which are subjected to them. In addition, while treatment of scale on pipes with chemicals may lead to an increased water flow by enlarging the effective internal diameter of the pipes, the scale is not removed completely, and significant amounts of scale remain in place.
An additional cost of the use of chemicals is to the environment. Chemicals that are used in treating the water cause contamination of the water, and such water may require collection and dumping after use. Such dumping results in a significant economic, as well as environmental, cost.
Another source of environmental pollution is the inefficient burning of gasoline in internal combustion engines, where unburned gasoline is exhausted into the environment. Also, inefficient burning of gasoline in an internal combustion engine results in a buildup on spark plugs, which necessitates frequent tune-up of engines in order to maintain their operation at a reasonable level of efficiency.
Over the last fifty years, non-ionizing irradiation processes, such as magnetic fields, have been advertised as a kind of panacea for water treatment. It has been claimed that these devices require no technical training or control and will treat water non-chemically to control microorganism growth, prevent scale, and inhibit corrosion. Variable effectiveness and little scientific understanding of the process mechanisms have produced substantial skepticism.
Since the 1950's, many magnetic water-conditioning devices have claimed to require no addition of chemicals for scale and corrosion control. However, by the late 1950's, reports indicated that systems in operation were not effective in reducing scale and corrosion and suggested that the ineffectiveness was due to low field intensity. Skepticism continued, and by the 1970's, reports implied that these systems were contrary to the basic principles of science and were inoperative. Similar reports have cautioned against the use of these systems for industrial treatment.
Numerous studies on descaling, softening, and corrosion control have not observed any positive results, although some studies have reported the effectiveness of magnetic treatment processes. These studies have noted many problems, which can be divided into two categories:
1) operational and maintenance problems: One study found that, when boiler water was treated by a magnetic applied field process, large pieces of scale dropped from the upper tube and tank wall surface and accumulated on the tubes below. This scale resulted in "hot spots," requiring tube replacement and expensive downtime. Consequently, frequent inspection and removal of scale deposits were suggested. Accumulation of scale in the bottom of the boiler was also observed as cleaning progressed. Such accumulations can clog blowdown openings and cause a buildup in soluble salt concentrations, which could result in further scaling; and PA1 2) process reliability: Magnetic systems have been reported to have problems with the influence of external magnetic fields, temperature, vibration, and masses of metals.
In view of the above, there is a need for a system which will prevent and remove scale buildup, inhibit the growth of microorganisms, and prevent staining from compounds contained in water. In addition, there is a need for a system which will aid in the complete combustion of gasoline in an internal combustion engine. The system should be a low-cost system that is non-polluting.
Furthermore, since pipes come in all sizes, it is desirable that such a system be adaptable to accommodate any conventional pipe size which may be encountered in the routine use of such a device.